'Charming Chub' is awesome!
Thanks for the photos, Nate.

-Sam

Thanks Sam.

Here's a time lapse. This tree has finally figured out which way is up, and without a stake.

December 2008
Picea glauca 'Pendula'

November 2009 (leader forming)
Picea glauca 'Pendula'

December 2010
Picea glauca 'Pendula'

Today, December 2011
Picea glauca 'Pendula'

Excellent photos as per. The matte finish on the 'Charming Chubb' creates great texture/shadowplay.

The picture below that, wow.

super.. thx for posting

ken

sluice,

I've been meaning to visit DBG for a while, so I appreciate the preview!

When's the last time you remember us having snow cover for this long? I'm not complaining, I haven't had to water in the last month!

Great pics as always. Keep them coming!

Barb

Severnside and Ken, glad you enjoyed.

Barb, I was just thinking that the other day.
Your comment made me run to the calendar. It was 68F on Thanksgiving, and in December we haven't had a day over 50F.
Which might help explain the next pic?

Pinus banksiana 'Uncle Fogy'

Pinus nigra

tropical conservatory

Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula'

Pinus parviflora 'Aizu'

bark detail, champion tree
Pinus parviflora 'Aizu'

Awesome glasshouse,Nate! I hope they've installed double glazing (unless it's sited above an oil well!).
I'm a fan of DBG. It looks like it is run by enthousiastic artistic gardeners rather than by scientist.The Japanese garden comes to mind also! Thanks for the pictures! T.

Sorry I spelled it 'Charming Chubb' it should obviously and respectfully be 'Charming Chub'.

The 'Uncle Fogy' pic with the frozen water feature is one in a million. The conservatory is epically captured!

Nate,

Great photos. I hope one day I will get the opportunity to visit the Denver Botanical gardens. They look beautiful. Is Abies concolor 'Charming Chub' named after the person Chub? That is a gorgeous specimen.

My favorite is Uncle Fogey. he he. Very strange looking plant. Do you guys think it is hardy in my area?

Thanks for sharing your photos Nate. By the way, the time lapse is amazing. Great way to see how conifers put out growth and really how quickly they can grow.

Tunilla, actually it is run by a bunch of scientists. Just last year they were using the gardens to test a new satellite antenna design. ;)

Thanks Severnside!

Lady, yep, 'Charming Chub' is named after Chub Harper. The Banksiana might be hardy for you, it's native range goes north of you.

Here's a few more.

I was really enjoying this one, and the nearby plants for winter interest.
Pinus engelmannii, Apache pine

Here's a nice blue spruce.

Picea pungens 'Coors'

blue on blue
Picea pungens 'Coors'

Cupressus arizonica 'Raywood's Weeping'

Thanks for the pics Sluice. I can see, and feel, the dry air.
Mike...living in the land of mist.

Really impressed with these pictures. Thank you.
Whilst the Cupressus arizonica 'Raywood's Weeping' is very impressive in its own right (!) do you happen to know the identity of the mid-size spruce to the left?
"I can see, and feel, the dry air." Very apt!
Richard

A slightly smaller version of that antenna might just fit on my roof.I'm willing to be a guinea-pig! Great to see Yucca and Opuntia spp. being planted amongst conifers etc.
Many are extremely cold-hardy and add another "dimention" to the dry/cold garden. Great stuff T.

Thanks Mike and T!

Richard, that's a Picea pungens, I will have to find out more on my next visit.

Tsuga canadensis 'Gentsch White' cones

Pinus parviflora, forma glauca

Picea meyeri

Juniperus scopulorum 'Butch'

Picea (best guess, engelmannii, 'Bush's Lace')

the mystery picea foliage

I've tried to get a pic of this tree a few times, and now found a good way - from outside of the gardens.
Cupressus bakeri (more info on this tree at the link below)

Here is a link that might be useful: C. bakeri, grown from seed

Final wrap-up.

Picea wilsonii

Picea wilsonii foliage

on this larger specimen, the branches had an unusual upturned habit, with the stems showing below
Picea wilsonii

Picea wilsonii foliage, stems

Dwarf picea

Sequoiadendron giganteum 'Pendulum'

Conifers

Really really nice photos Nate. Thank you for sharing.

Ok, I was hoping this thread would go away so I would not comment but I just can't keep my thoughts to myself anymore. What is that satellite antenna design of anyway? Am I the only one who sees a provocative figure? LOL...or am I just warped? (Don't answer if you believe the latter. LOL)

Looks like one of those hideous Henry Moore sculptures. But I agree with Nate, it is better to think of it as a satellite receiver ;-)

Amazed that they can grow Pinus engelmannii, Sequoiadendron, and Tsuga canadensis in Denver - I'd have thought it too cold (P.e. & S.), and too dry (T.c.), respectively.

Resin

Nate,

Thanks again for the tour.

Dave

Nate, thanks for this tour!
The dwarf conifer garden looks very impressive to me.
Is there a list availlable which one's were planted there?

Loved the tour!

TANKs

Dax

That little girl in that pink coat can't figure out that sculpture either, but she thinks it looks a little like Mama.

LadyLotus, lol! I think Resin got it, a "reclining figure" by the English sculptor Henry Moore.

Resin, I had also thought Apache Pine and Sequoia wouldn't grow here.
Maybe a heat island effect, and also the pine might benefit from full southern exposure.

Dave and Dax, glad you enjoyed!

Edwin, there's not a list that I know of, and from what I can tell some plants are not completely labeled.
The gardens does have a website with a database that can be helpful.

Bernd, that was my thought too.

Great to see some pics during the hibernation season. You have anymore pics hiding up that sleeve?

Sometimes the species plants are fantastic to look at... especially if you haven't seen/noticed them before! (re Picea wilsonii).

Thanks Whaas! No more pics for this botanic gardens tour. I'll post some other species pics after a bit.

How come they don't have any tents or burlap?
Are they just growing trees that are completely hardy for their area and don't need the protection?
Mike

Mike,

Good question. I don't recall seeing any tents or burlap, and will check next time I'm there. They do have a few trees growing indoors, and also indoor/outdoors in an orangery. But I suspect you may be right about the hardiness, for outside trees in the ground.

Nate

I wondered that too....perhaps they just roll the dice?

Maybe that ligthening keeps the Sequoiadendron giganteum 'Pendulum' cozy during the winter!

Whaas, they probably do just roll the dice, to see what happens. A gardner there told me that several years ago, a local Home Depot had a bunch of Cedrus (libani, I believe). Once of the garden directors sent out a call to volunteers to buy them all up! Now they've got some nice Cedrus there.